Twenty years with the same team and being elected to the Hall of Fame? That doesn’t happen very often.

With Monday’s news that franchise icon Andre Johnson asked the Texans to trade or cut him after being told of a reduced role next season, he joined the group of Houston star athletes who’ve had to move on from the Bayou City.

Click on the gallery above to see the other notable Houston pro athletes who ended their careers elsewhere.

It’s a safe bet his No. 80 will be the first one retired by the franchise, and he’ll likely be a candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame once his career ends.

But who is the real Andre Johnson? Houston Chronicle photographer Brett Coomer took a look at Johnson’s football legacy in the above video, talking to current and former Texans teammates, as well as others with the franchise such as radio announcer Marc Vandermeer.

Also, get to know the mostly hidden personal side of Johnson’s life in this feature by Texans beat writer Brian T. Smith, a wide-ranging look at Johnson’s life and career, in which he expressed his appreciation for his time in Houston.

“I look at it as home,” he said. “Houston has accepted me from the time I was drafted. It’s always shown me a lot of love with people in the community, and I try to give that love back. … I never thought I would leave Miami. To be here, it’s given me a whole different outlook on life.”

]]>http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/texans-teammates-weigh-in-on-andre-johnsons-request-to-leave-houston/feed/0After asking out, Andre Johnson thanks Houston via social mediahttp://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/after-asking-out-andre-johnson-thanks-houston-via-social-media/
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/after-asking-out-andre-johnson-thanks-houston-via-social-media/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 02:10:38 +0000http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/?p=64067Monday’s request by Andre Johnson that the Texans trade or release him caught many off guard. Be it Facebook or Twitter and everything in between, NFL fans everywhere took to social media to express their feelings on the unofficial end of an era in Houston.

Johnson, meanwhile, used the same channels of communication to thank Houston and Texans fans with a message on his Instagram account.

]]>http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/after-asking-out-andre-johnson-thanks-houston-via-social-media/feed/0Photos: Take a look at Andre Johnson’s 10 best games with the Texanshttp://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/photos-take-a-look-at-andre-johnsons-10-best-games-with-the-texans/
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/photos-take-a-look-at-andre-johnsons-10-best-games-with-the-texans/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 01:43:55 +0000http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/?p=64061With Texans star wide receiver Andre Johnson on Monday asking the team for a trade or to be released, take a look at his 10 best games in the gallery above.
]]>http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/photos-take-a-look-at-andre-johnsons-10-best-games-with-the-texans/feed/0Texans begin exploring options on how to replace Andre Johnsonhttp://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/texans-begin-exploring-options-on-how-to-replace-andre-johnson/
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/texans-begin-exploring-options-on-how-to-replace-andre-johnson/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 01:42:35 +0000http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/?p=64060How will the Texans replace veteran wide receiver Andre Johnson, the greatest player in franchise history?

The normal ways: Free agency and the draft.

Green Bay’s Randall Cobb tops the potential 2015 free-agent class and could command a contract of at least $10 million annually. Cobb collected 91 catches for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns last season for the Packers, who came a couple minutes away from advancing to the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia’s Jeremy Maclin (85 catches, 1,318 yards, 10 TDs in 2014) had a career season in 2014 and is entering the prime of his career after recovering from ACL surgery.

San Francisco’s Michael Crabtree, Baltimore’s Torrey Smith and Jacksonville’s Cecil Shorts are among top receivers who could also be available on the open market.

With Johnson set to make $10.5 million in guaranteed money and count $16.1 million against the Texans’ 2015 salary cap, the Texans could add a comparable receiver at less cost in the short and long term. By releasing Johnson, they would enter free agency with almost $22 million in cap space.

The 2015 draft class is again deep at receiver, initially appearing to match an especially strong 2014 group that included the New York Giants’ Odell Beckham, Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins and Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans. Kevin White (West Virginia) and Amari Cooper (Alabama) are expected to be off the board when the Texans make the No. 16 overall pick this year. But Louisville’s DeVante Parker, Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong and Missouri’s Dorial Green-Beckham should be available, with premier talent remaining in rounds 2-3.

Last December, Johnson proudly linked his football future with the only team he’s ever played for.

“That’s the dream. That’s what I hope for,” Johnson said. “When you’ve spent a lot of time somewhere, you hope that you can finish your career there and walk off into the sunset in that one place.”

The longtime Texan, who is already building his retirement house in Houston, will now seek a new team while the Texans explore how to best replace No. 80 in 2015.

]]>http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/texans-begin-exploring-options-on-how-to-replace-andre-johnson/feed/0Texans star Andre Johnson asks to be traded or cuthttp://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/texans-star-andre-johnson-asks-to-be-traded-or-cut/
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2015/03/texans-star-andre-johnson-asks-to-be-traded-or-cut/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 01:25:55 +0000http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/?p=64053Receiver Andre Johnson’s exit from the Texans after 12 seasons that established him as a candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame could lead him to his first Super Bowl.

The Texans gave Johnson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, permission to seek a trade for one of the greatest receivers in history. If a trade can’t be worked out, Johnson will be placed on waivers, making him an unrestricted free agent.

“It’s business,” Johnson said. “I understand that side of it. I’m not angry about it. I knew at some point in time this day would come.

“If we were living in a perfect world, you know I’d want to finish my career here, but, unfortunately, that’s not what’s going to happen. You just have to move forward.”

Johnson, who turns 34 in July, had 85 catches for 936 yards (11-yard average) and three touchdowns last season when the Texans finished 9-7 in coach Bill O’Brien’s first season. Johnson wants to play at least two more seasons.

During a meeting with O’Brien last week, Johnson was told his role would be reduced next season.

“People try to picture it the way they want to picture it, saying that I asked for a trade (but), there’s a reason I asked for a trade,” he said. “I think if anybody else was in my situation they would have done the same thing I did.

“I don’t know how you tell a guy who catches 85 balls that he’ll only probably catch 40. I feel like the role they were trying to put me in I’d be held back from maximizing my talents. I feel like that was the best thing for both sides.

“Why sit there and be miserable when I can go somewhere else and be able to show my talents.”

The two sides didn’t get around to discussing a possible reduction in pay. Johnson has two years left on his contract, including a base salary of $10.5 million this season and a salary cap hit of $16.1 million. He also receives a $1 million workout bonus.

The Texans save $8.82 million in salary cap space by trading or cutting Johnson. They’ll have about $21.9 million in cap space.

“It never got that far,” he said about contract talk. “I don’t get how you can tell a guy that (he) wouldn’t start certain games, especially knowing the team and the talent.

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t be a starter in this league. It didn’t make sense to me. I’m pretty sure it won’t make sense to a lot of other people.”

In 2016, Johnson is scheduled to receive an $11 million base salary and the $1 million workout bonus.

McGuire probably will negotiate a new deal for Johnson with his new team.

If money isn’t an issue, Johnson might be able to sign with a perennial Super Bowl contender like New England, Seattle, Baltimore or Denver, where Gary Kubiak is in his first season as the Broncos’ coach.

Johnson played his greatest seasons in his eight years with Kubiak.

“I was just made aware of this whole situation today,” Johnson said. “I haven’t really had time to really find out anything else.

“My biggest thing right now is just trying to get everything finalized with the Texans and then move forward.”

Johnson is leaving Houston the same way he came to town — in a first-class manner.

“I’d like to tell the fans thank you for all of your support,” he said, echoing sentiments in a post to his Instagram account. “I love playing for them, playing in front of them in that stadium every Sunday.

“I’m going to miss them. Hopefully, one day I’ll get a chance to play in front of them again.”

Last year, Johnson missed the offseason program. He wanted the Texans to guarantee his contract in 2015 to avoid his current situation. He reported to camp and led the team in receiving again, despite working with four quarterbacks.

Both Texans owner Bob McNair and Rockets owner Leslie Alexander made the cut. Michael Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Hornets, was a newcomer on the list.

The magazine reported there are a record 1,826 billionaires in the world. Some of the sports-related billionaires are listed below by name (affiliation), net worth and worldwide rank in terms of net worth:

The Texans enter the week with about $13.1 million in cap room and face several key decisions, including potentially re-signing cornerback Kareem Jackson to a new deal and wide receiver Andre Johnson’s large cap figure ($16.1 million) in 2015.

Teams face a 3 p.m. Monday deadline to designate franchise or transition players. The Texans aren’t expected to use either tag. If Jackson was tagged, he would receive a $13 million salary this year, which is far above his market value.

Teams can officially contact and enter negotiations with representatives for potential free agents from Saturday until next Tuesday.

Free agency and the new league year begin at 3 p.m. next Tuesday. Teams must be under the 2015 salary cap at that time.

The NFL Players Association announced Monday that the Texans carried over $966,613 in cap room from the 2014 season and recorded $1.77 million in adjustments. The Texans’ adjusted 2015 cap figure is $146.02 million.